The past few decades have witnessed dramatic changes in the demographic, social, and economic forces affecting the health of women in the United States. At the same time, women are assuming multiple roles in society as spouse, wage earner, head of household, and caregiver for children and/or aging parents. However, little is none about the inter-relationships of family and personal factors which influence health and health care use for women and their children.
The objectives of this presentation are to examine: 1) multiple aspects of women's lives which impact their health and well being; 2) factors which impact women's use of health care resources; and 3) the degree to which mothers' and children's use of health care resources are related and the extent to which mothers' and children's overall health are related. These objectives will be met by analyzing data from the 1996-7 Community Tracking Household Survey (CTHS). This national household survey, is one component of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's national Community Tracking study, designed to track the effect of changes in the health care system. The CTHS provides information on health insurance coverage and health care use, employment, and socio-demographics for all adults and one child per household.
Increased understanding of factors influencing health and health care resource use for women and their children is essential to evaluating recent social policies and health systems reforms which disproportionately impact mothers and children. Such an understanding also will inform recommendations for revising existing surveys exploring the health of women.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant (learner) will be able to: 1. Identify 4 social roles which impact the health and health care utilization of women in the US 2. Understand how the health and health care utilization of women and their children are related 3. Consider how existing national health surveys might incorporate women's social roles
Keywords: Women's Health,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.